ORDER XI. THE MAPvSUPIALIA. 



oij 



a rabbit ; liut having continued in tlie possession of Sir Edward Parry for 

 more tlian two years in New Soutii AVales, besides six months on the pas- 

 sage to England, it may be considered as full grown. It was never kept in 

 conlinenieiit until it was embarked for P^ngland, but lived in the kitchen, and 

 ran about the house and grounds like a dog, going out every nigiit after dark 

 into 'the bush,' or forest, to i'eed, and usually returned to its friend th.e man 

 cook, in whose bed it slept, about two o'clock in the morning. Besides 

 what it nright obtain in these excursions, it ate meat, bread, vegetables, in 

 short, everything gi\'en to it by the cook, with whom it was extremely tame, 

 but would allow nobody else to take liberties with it. It expressed its anger, 

 when very closely approached by others, by a sort of half grunting, half 

 hissing, very discordant sound, which ap])eared to come from the throat, 

 without altering the expression of the countenance. In the daytime it would 

 occasionally, but not often, venture out to a considerable distance from 

 home, in which case it would sometimes be chased back by strange dogs, 

 especially those belonging to the natives. From these, however, it had no 

 difficulty in escaping, through its extreme swiftness, and it was curious to 

 see it l)ounding up a hill and over the garden fence, until it had placed itself 

 under the protection of the dogs belonging to the house, especially two of 

 the Newfoundland breed to which it was attached, and which never failed to 

 afford it their assistance l)y sallying forth in pursuit of its adversaries."' 



Captain Parry further observes that, ''like all other kangaroos, this ani- 

 mal, when in active motion, never touches the ground with its tail, merely 

 using it to form a tri[)od when standing erect. It seems to inhabit no part 

 of the colony in the latitude of Sydney." 



M. Elegnns. — Elegant Kangaroo. This differs from the kangaroos which 

 we have so far noticed, in being of a gregarious habit, sometimes being- 

 found in herds of thirty or fifty. The entire length is sixty-two inches, and 

 the color is a fine silver-gra}'. 



M. Bennettil. — Bennett's Kangaroo. The color of this species is a deep- 

 gray, and the length, to the root of the tail, thirty-four inches. When at rest 

 it ciu'vcs its tail under the body between the hind legs, which are thrust 

 straight forward, and the fore feet are placed on the ground. 



j\Ir. Gunn says this species "is by far the most conmion everywhere (in 

 Van Diemen's Land), easily overtaken by swift kangaroo dogs, and used 

 most generally for food. When roasted, or the tail made into soup, it bears 

 a pretty strong resemblance to hare, and is universally esteemed. The skins 

 are tanned, and are the only kind of leather used in the colony for the uppers 

 of ladies' and gentlemen's boots and shoes. Many thousands of skins arc 

 annually exported from Van Diemen's Land to New South Wales for the 

 same purpose. 



NO. IX. 44 



